Motivation is sometimes, very hard to come by.
At times, it never shows itself and we end up procrastinating on 12-page research papers that are due in under six hours and yet, we continue to press the "Next Episode" button on Netflix.
We've all done it.
Don't bother lying, because I know you have had those moments where no matter how much you know you should be studying or writing a paper, you continue to ignore that nagging feeling and scroll through your Facebook feed until you finally realize how wrong you were to put off your responsibilities.
Motivation can be tricky to find, but here are some tips on how to get through those little patches of dread towards doing anything that requires energy:
1. Put the phone away
I am 100 percent guilty of this, but anytime I start to think about doing something I'll see something on my phone that catches my eye and suddenly it's two hours later and I've watched at least 40 Buzzfeed food videos. Do not fall into the phone trap. It's a blackhole of procrastination and loss of motivation to do anything other than scroll.
2. Exercise
I know, I know, exercise sucks sometimes, but honestly, a walk can make all the difference in getting you ready to start something grueling. I find that it is really helpful for me to walk around the neighborhood before doing something I have been dreading. It gets me thinking but also keeps me relaxed and at peace. By the time I sit back down after my walk, to begin the dreaded "thing", I feel much more prepared after letting my mind wander a bit on the subject.
3. Listen/look at/read something that inspires you
By this, I mean, what makes you feel unstoppable? Is it a certain song? A picture? A video? Listen to some songs from your favorite empowering artist, look at some pictures you took while visiting your favorite place, or watch that funny dog video your friend tagged you in that one time. Whatever it is that makes you feel inspired and ready to conquer the world, do that.
4. Remind yourself of the end goal
We get at those points, during our times of less than efficient amounts of motivation, where we begin to question why we even need to complete a certain task at all. Trust me, there have been many moments when I contemplated not studying for a test because, what's the point? But when these moments come along remind yourself why it is important you do it. This brings the reality of the task to your attention and makes you want to get it done sooner. Everything has a purpose to it!
5. If all else fails, fake it until you make it.
If all of these tips leave you wondering why I even bothered writing this article in the first place, the one greatest piece of advice that I was ever given was to fake it. Fake your own motivation and you will be surprised by how much you can get done with this mindset. If you convince yourself that you are motivated, then you will get yourself in the groove and it might just be hard to stop. I know you're probably shaking your head but just hear me out, faking a certain attitude or mindset causes your brain to eventually believe it over time. It's totally worth a shot at this point, right?
College sends all of u spiraling down a black hole of procrastination and complacency at one point or another but if you have the tools to fight it, we can all pull ourselves together. Save the scrolling and youtube video binging for another day.
For now, remember that you cannot put certain tasks on hold. Knuckle down and remember you are capable of pushing yourself to accomplish so much more than you think.
